The present invention relates to marine propulsion drives, and more particularly to a water deflector or splash guard for an outboard motor.
During operation of some motors, water can on occasion splash, spray and flow onto the engine cowl, trim bracket assembly and motor mounting assembly of the outboard motor and over the transom into the boat. Besides the undesirable effect of water splashing spraying and/or flowing into a boat and onto passengers near the stern of the boat, such water action increases the possibility of corrosion in salt water applications. Such undesirable water action is particularly demonstrated with pontoon boats and conventional boats having deep V or notched hulls since these types of boats tend to demonstrate undesirable water at their stern during forward operation. Additionally, during reverse propulsion, most boats tend to have water flow up onto the transom and the mounting brackets of the motor mounting assembly which again is undesirable due to the possibility of overflowing into the boat as well as the increasing corrosion.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device which would tend to divert water away from the outboard motor, the motor mounting area, and the boat transom. Additionally, it would be desirable to obstruct the flow of water onto the transom and transom brackets during reverse propulsion.